Steam engine water efills

The 6 mile station spacing was pretty normal. I believe the RR charters of many states required it because of the distances farmers could haul grain and supplies with horse drawn wagons.
I don't know about the water stops for the old 4-4-0 Americans and such but more modern steam locos could certainly go 25 to 100 miles without taking water depending upon speed, terrain, and load.
Where I worked the old original sidings were about 6-7 miles apart and old water tanks were about every other siding or every 3rd siding (14-20 miles). But by the end of steam about every other siding had been removed and the remaining ones lengthened and only 5 water tanks remained in 106 miles.

Wyhog posted:

The 6 mile station spacing was pretty normal. I believe the RR charters of many states required it because of the distances farmers could haul grain and supplies with horse drawn wagons.
I don't know about the water stops for the old 4-4-0 Americans and such but more modern steam locos could certainly go 25 to 100 miles without taking water depending upon speed, terrain, and load.
Where I worked the old original sidings were about 6-7 miles apart and old water tanks were about every other siding or every 3rd siding (14-20 miles). But by the end of steam about every other siding had been removed and the remaining ones lengthened and only 5 water tanks remained in 106 miles. 

Interestingly, that would coincide with the Public Land Survey System which has been the primary survey method in the United States since 1785. A "township" is  a square generally 6 miles on each side, composed of 36 "sections" each one mile square. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_Ordinance_of_1785

[referring to 6-mile spacing of towns-stations-waypoints along the railroad, which weren't necessarily all water stops]

Interesting information Ace. I've been looking at the history of the land in my area (West of the Mississippi), but hadn't discovered this one yet. I had no idea how it was all laid out to begin with? Also interesting about the 6 miles for the RR water tanks back in the day and the connection to the land plotting.

In steam's "modern era" (1930s to the end of steam in the 50s) steam locomotive tenders were sized so they could typically run 100 miles on one tender of water with an appropriate reserve.

An example...the 765's tender holds 22,000 gallons. Over her excursion career she has averaged about 120 gallons per mile. 22,000/120 = 183 miles.

She likely worked harder in regular freight service, so her water consumption would be higher.

150 gallons per mile = 146 miles

160 gallons per mile = 137 miles.

100 miles per division and water stop works out just right.

Gee, I always understood that the spacing of towns east of the Mississippi was due to the practical distance that crops could be taken to market by horse and buggy.......conversely railroads were developed primarily to pick up the farm crops - at a distance that could be reached by horse and buggy.

A league is six miles?  Might have something to do with plotting ans section lines in an earlier time?

1785 predates steam trains by some decades, so I expect that the railroads were built to accommodate the towns, not the towns built to accommodate the railroads.

Wyhog posted:

The 6 mile station spacing was pretty normal. I believe the RR charters of many states required it because of the distances farmers could haul grain and supplies with horse drawn wagons.
I don't know about the water stops for the old 4-4-0 Americans and such but more modern steam locos could certainly go 25 to 100 miles without taking water depending upon speed, terrain, and load.
Where I worked the old original sidings were about 6-7 miles apart and old water tanks were about every other siding or every 3rd siding (14-20 miles). But by the end of steam about every other siding had been removed and the remaining ones lengthened and only 5 water tanks remained in 106 miles.

 

Well the six miles makes sense as far as how far farmer merchants had to travel for/leave crops and supplies.  Because if they were refilling every six+ miles that would be 15-17 stops per 100 miles and if it took say 15-20 minutes per fill, the crew wasted four or more "dead time" hours with water spouts, not efficient.

OGR Webmaster posted:

In steam's "modern era" (1930s to the end of steam in the 50s) steam locomotive tenders were sized so they could typically run 100 miles on one tender of water with an appropriate reserve.

An example...the 765's tender holds 22,000 gallons. Over her excursion career she has averaged about 120 gallons per mile. 22,000/120 = 183 miles.

She likely worked harder in regular freight service, so her water consumption would be higher.

150 gallons per mile = 146 miles

160 gallons per mile = 137 miles.

100 miles per division and water stop works out just right.

I remember reading in some older books about how engineer would have to unhook the engine and "run for water" because the try cocks or water glass were getting low/empty and didn't want the crown sheet exposed (exposed sheet kinda ruins the boiler, engineer, conductor, brakeman as well as machinery, and maybe things up to half mile away.)